Month: September 2017

Well, we’ve only taken a quick look at this firmware. In regards to auto-focus, our first look appears to indicate that there are improvements, but the GH5 remains a camera that you don’t buy for the AF. Thankfully it has many other reasons to buy it.

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Hands down the Panasonic GH5 is the best value video camera and nothing in its price range touches it. We’re hoping Sony and others will soon offer viable competitors for similar prices. It’s becoming harder and harder to justify purchasing a 4K camera without 10-bit color or 60P.

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The GoPro Hero 6 features 60P FPS at 4K and 240 FPS at 1080P. It will be priced at $500. Sony’s new small, square camera is more interesting to us as it’s non-fisheye lens and bigger sensor will make it easier to cut into cinematic pieces. But as an action camera it’s nice to see GoPro catching up to the Yi 4K+’s 60FPS at 4K.

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Oh, if only the lens on this camera was F2.8 instead of F4, this would have been so much of a better video camera. Now that Sony has made a more professional alternative to a GoPro (to be fair, so did Black Magic) hopefully others will follow suit.

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We are very interested in this camera. We want to see whether or not it will dethrone the Black Magic Ursa Mini Pro as the best low-cost cinema camera. Certainly some people will forego the Black Magic for the Panasonic just for the reliability and support alone.

Sony today announced the new flagship model in its acclaimed Cyber-shot® RX10 series, the RX10 IV (model DSC-RX10M4).

Featuring the world’s fastesti AF acquisition time of 0.03 secondsii and up to 24 fps continuous shootingiii with full AF/AE tracking, 315 phase-detection AF points that rivals those the fastest professional interchangeable lens cameras and an exceptionally versatile 24-600mmiv F2.4-F4 ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens, the new RX10 IV model delivers an unmatched combination of mobility and speed for imaging enthusiasts and professionals looking for the ultimate ‘all-in-one’ solution.

The impressive RX10 IV camera is equipped with a latest 1.0-type 20.1 MP[vi] Exmor RS CMOS stacked image sensor with DRAM chip along with a powerful BIONZ X™ image processor and front-end LSI. These key components all work together to maximise overall speed of operation and performance, ultimately ensuring the highest possible image and video quality throughout the entire range of the 24-600mmiv lens.

Fast Focusing, Fast Shooting

A first for Sony’s RX10 series of cameras, the new RX10 IV model features a Fast Hybrid AF system that combines the respective advantages of 315 phase-detection AF points covering approximately 65% of the sensor and contrast-detection AF to ultimately enable the camera to lock focus in as little as 0.03 secondsii. This high speed focusing complements the extensive 24-600mmiv range of the lens, ensuring all subjects can be captured with precise detail and clarity.

Additionally, for the first time in a Cyber-shot camera, the RX10 IV model employs High-density Tracking AF technology. This advanced technology, which had only been previously available in a select few of Sony’s acclaimed line of α interchangeable lens cameras, concentrates AF points around a subject to improve tracking and focus accuracy, allowing even the most unpredictable subjects including fast-moving athletes and birds in flight to be captured with ease.

Other AF improvements in the new RX10 IV camera include an enhanced version of the popular Eye AF, Touch Focus and Focus Range Limiter[vii]. AF-ON setting is also assignable, as well as multiple AF modes including AF-S, AF-C and AF-A, which can be easily adjusted based on user preferences and shooting situations.

An ideal complement to the AF system, the RX10 IV offers continuous high-speed shooting at up to 24 fpsiii with full AF/AE tracking, with an impressive buffer limit of up to 249 images[viii]. With the significant improvements in processing power for the new camera, EVF display lag during continuous shooting has been substantially reduced, allowing shooters to capture the decisive moment with ultimate confidence. Also, for convenience during image playback, continuously shot images can be displayed in groups instead of individual shots.

The RX10 IV also has a high speed Anti-Distortion Shutter (maximum shutter speed of up to 1/32000 second) that reduces the “rolling shutter” effect commonly experienced with fast moving subjects, and can shoot completely silently in all modes, including continuous high speed shooting, when electronic shutter is engaged. A mechanical shutter mode is also available as well if required by the user.

ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* 24-600mm F2.4-F4 Lens

The 24-600mmiv ZEISS® Vario-Sonnar T* lens on the Cyber-shot RX10 IV camera features a large maximum aperture of F2.4-F4.0, helping it achieve outstanding image quality throughout the entire zoom range, all the way up to ultra-telephoto. It includes a super ED (extra-low dispersion) glass element and ED aspherical lenses to minimise chromatic aberration, and ZEISS® T* Coating to minimise flare and ghosting.

The lens also has built-in Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilisation that helps to reduce camera shake and image blur. When the feature is activated, it is equivalent to an approximate 4.5 steps shutter speed improvement.

Additionally, with a minimum focusing distance of 72 cm (2.36 ft) and 0.49x maximum magnification at a fully extended 600mm, the lens is capable of producing amazingly detailed tele-macro images.

Professional Video Capture

The new RX10 IV becomes the latest Cyber-shot RX camera to offer the advantages of 4K (QFHD 3840 x 2160) movie recording, with its Fast Hybrid AF system realising approximately 2x faster focusing speed compared to the RX10 III.

In 4K mode, the new RX10 IV utilises full pixel readout without pixel binning, capturing approximately 1.7x more information than is required for 4K movie output to ensure that all the finest details are captured accurately. The camera utilises the XAVC S™ [ix] codec, recording video at a high data rate of up to 100 Mbps depending on shooting mode. Users have the option of shooting at either 24p or 30p in 4K mode (100 Mbps), or in frame rates of up to 120p in Full HD mode.

The new camera also has a variety of other professional calibre video features including Picture Profile, S-Log3/S-Gamut3, Gamma Display Assist, Proxy recording, Time Code / User Bit and more, as well as input for external microphone and output for headphone monitoring.

Super slow motion[x] video recording is also available, with an extended duration of about 4 seconds (in quality priority mode) and 7 seconds (in shoot time priority). This unique feature gives users the ability to choose among 1000fps, 500fps and 250fps frame rates and among 50p, 25p and 24p playback formats[xi].

Upgraded Operation and Customization

The new RX10 IV features Sony’s latest 3.0-type 1.44M dot tiltable LCD screen with Touch Focus and Touch Pad function – another first for the Cyber-shot RX series – for quick and smooth focusing operation, and WhiteMagic™ technology, ensuring that LCD viewing is bright and clear in even the harshest outdoor lighting conditions. Additionally, it is equipped with an approx. 2.35M dot high-contrast XGA OLED Tru-Finder™, ensuring true-to-life image preview and playback functionality. Triple lens rings for aperture, zoom and focus are also available, with a completely quiet, smooth option for the aperture ring that is ideal for video shooters.

To enhance customisation, “My Menu” functionality has been added, allowing up to 30 frequently used menu items to be custom registered. Menus are colour coded for easier recognition and navigation, and a new Movie Settings menu has been introduced to improve the overall video shooting experience.

The RX10 IV is also dust and moisture resistant[xii], and Wi-Fi®, NFC™ and Bluetooth® compatible.

Pricing and Availability

The new Sony Cyber-shot RX10 IV camera will ship in October for approximately €2000. Full product details can be accessed here.

[i] Among fixed lens digital cameras with 1.0-type sensor. As of September 2017 press release, based on Sony research.

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We’re happy to see the 1-inch sensor, the 60p, the 15X zoom lens, and the relatively small zoom factor. We would like to complain about the 4:2:0 color space but their competitors are doing the same so we can’t single out Canon here. If the autofocus is good and the low-light is decent then they probably have a decent product on their hands here.